0313 The Life of Rich
During his tenure at Hogwarts, Bryan's office door crack was no stranger to being stuffed with notes from those energetic witches in senior years. However, being professed adoration to in person by a middle-aged wizard was an experience entirely new to Bryan.
Amidst the ceaseless torrent of the man's outpouring, Bryan learned that this wizard's name was Annison Cohen. Once A naïve youth whose dreams had been consumed by the allure of becoming an Auror, a guardian standing resolute against the dark forces that threatened the peace and order of their world. Alas, fate had dealt him a cruel hand, as he had failed to obtain the two N.E.W.T.s during his student days at Hogwarts, rendering the halls of the Ministry forever beyond his reach. The only remaining option left to him was to temper his ambitions and seek employment within the St. Mungo's.
It was not until Bryan acquiesced to aid him in procuring the autograph from 'Bryan Watson' that Annison's breathless ramblings found a momentary respite.
"I'll go put in a word for you, sir. In the meantime, would you be so kind as to register your personal information?" Annison inquired, his expression one of guileless innocence. "As you must be well aware, those noble gentlemen have an inherent distaste for any unforeseen occurrences."
Annison pointed to the large register on the desk and the quill in the inkpot, then squeezed through the door crack and left, still muttering complaints under his breath, "Oh, the Malfoys, that family is such a pain to deal with, always with those sour faces--"
Bryan let out a soft laugh. Draco had been under the control of the Imperius Curse for so long, so it's understandable that Lucius must be fuming about it.
Annison returned swiftly. Just as Bryan had finished filling in his name and intended patient visit in the register, the golden door creaked open. Annison squeezed back out from the crack, followed by Lucius Malfoy, who used his hand to prop open the automatically rebounding door and slipped out.
"Huff, it's this gentleman--" The brief walk seemed an immense exertion for Annison, but in the imposing presence of Lucius Malfoy, he dared not appear too disheveled. Thus, he spoke while struggling to suppress his panting breaths.
The face that came into view was as gloomy as he expected, and at this time, those pale gray eyes embedded in this gloomy face still showed a trace of surprise and vigilance.
Before Lucius could give voice to his inquiries, Bryan spoke first, "Let's discuss inside, Mr. Malfoy. I'd prefer not to cause a disturbance here."
The familiar timbre of the voice and the manner in which it was delivered immediately dispelled any notion from Lucius's mind that this stranger might be an impostor. Considering Bryan Watson's recent surge in popularity within the wizarding world, Lucius instantly comprehended the underlying intentions behind this encounter.
"Please, come in--" Lucius moistened his dry lips, extending a gesture of hospitality as he ushered Bryan into the VIP enclave.
Though separated by a mere door, the environment within was noticeably more serene. The floor tiles and wall colors adopted a softer, more soothing palette, the air was perfumed with an invigorating fragrance, and various admirable potted landscapes lined the corridor, their verdant foliage lending a touch of natural splendor to the surroundings.
Since there were people in the hallway, Bryan and Lucius refrained from engaging in conversation. They passed through a resplendent circular lounge and halted before a wooden door inlaid with intricate golden patterns.
"Please, enter--" Lucius gestured, and pushed open the door.
Only when the hospital room unfolded before him did Bryan truly understand the extravagance of these pure-blood wizarding families.
It was a room of such grandiose proportions that it rivaled the very size of Dumbledore's former office—its dimensions vastly expanded by the judicious application of an Undetectable Extension Charm. The domed ceiling was a masterwork of intricate artistic carvings, and two enormous chandeliers, each constructed from thousands of pure white crystal stones, glittered brilliantly in the radiant sunlight that streamed through the windows.
The soft carpet underfoot was woven from the finest velvet, and the exquisite oil paintings that adorned the walls were clearly not mere daubings from an amateur's brush, but rather the masterful works of a true artisan.
On one side of the room, a fireplace built from bricks intricately carved with the likeness of mermaids and veela figures emanated gentle undulating flames, radiating warmth throughout the expansive space. The firewood that served as fuel was evidently not ordinary pine, but rather fragrant sandalwood, permeating the air with an exquisitely pleasant aroma that invigorated the senses and soothed the soul.
"Ah, the sinful wealth--" Bryan, having reverted to his original appearance, sighed as he took in the palatial luxury that enveloped him.
By the window, Draco sat up from his reclined position on the large bed, his face alight with excitement. He seemed to want to get out of bed to greet Professor Watson, but his Mother Narcissa Malfoy stopped him.
"How are you feeling, Draco?" Bryan approached Draco's bedside, stepping up beside Lucius. After nodding to Draco's mother, he smiled warmly at Draco.
In terms of sheer destructiveness, the Imperius Curse might be the most severe of the three Unforgivable Curses. However, its effects upon the victim were indeed the mildest. During Voldemort's reign of terror, many wizards unwilling to join his cause had been subjugated by this curse, but after receiving treatment, they exhibited no serious lingering aftereffects. This was the reason Bryan had been willing to take a chance and not immediately rescue Draco.
Draco's complexion looked healthy, no longer pale and dazed, though a hint of bewilderment still lingered in the depths of his eyes.
"I did not expect your visit, Professor Watson. I am well--" Draco grinned, his demeanor cheerful. "The finest team of Healers at St. Mungo's is clearly far more proficient and professional than the meager hospital wing at our shabby school. My parents spared very little money to ensure I received the utmost in attentive care, and I have mostly recovered. Well, not entirely—I was..." Draco shuddered in terror at the mere mention of Peter.
"Calm down, dear," Draco's mother immediately embraced his head, gently patting his back in a soothing manner. "Don't be afraid. You are safe now, and that dwarf who dared to harm you—your father and I can assure you, he will pay the ultimate price with his life!"
Lucius, standing vigil at Draco's bedside, clenched his fists and nodded in agreement.
"I am fine, Mother!" Being treated in such a manner before Professor Watson stirred a sense of embarrassment within Draco, as if he appeared weak and vulnerable. He took a few deep breaths to suppress his discomfort, then gently extricated himself from his mother's embrace and maintained a composed smile as he spoke, "There is a period of time whose memories remain hazy, Professor Watson. The Healers at St. Mungo's said it's best not to intervene artificially; those memories will gradually resurface on their own."
"Indeed," Bryan nodded slightly in affirmation. "This phenomenon is not directly caused by the effects of the Imperius Curse itself. My guess is that Peter likely attempted to erase any memories of himself from your mind, but his attempts at casting a Memory Charm were quite inept and ultimately unsuccessful. As your condition continues to stabilize, those memories suppressed by magic will slowly emerge from the depths of your subconscious and resurface."
Receiving Professor Watson's reassuring confirmation, not only Draco but also his parents could not conceal the collective sigh of relief that escaped their lips.
Although this ward was lavish beyond comprehension, adorned with every conceivable luxury, his parents had never permitted Draco to venture beyond its confines, so to him, it was no different from a prison. His only way to pass the time was to read recent magazines and newspapers. The news from the past few days had been quite exhilarating.
"I heard you took down Greyback and nearly a hundred of his men, Professor. I'd wager if you were to take on the role of Headmaster at Hogwarts, you'd be far superior to Dumbledore. Is there a chance, I mean, of ousting Dumbledore? My father nearly succeeded in doing so last year--"
"Draco!" Before Bryan could give a response, Lucius's expression hardened, his faceadopting a stern expression. "That is not something you need to concern yourself with."
Draco immediately sobered, his demeanor becoming somewhat sullen, but then he proceeded to inquire about the major and minor events that had transpired at school during the period he was under the curse's influence, as the vast majority of his memories from that time remained shrouded in hazy obscurity.
Bryan extracted his wand from within the folds of his robes, executing a subtle wave, and a high-backed armchair stationed by the fireplace responded with alacrity, its four legs kicking cheerfully as it hopped over, coming to rest behind Bryan's waiting form.
"Actually, nothing much happened--" Bryan plopped down comfortably, crossing his legs as he smiled and described the events to Draco.
"--Oh, just a bunch of cowardly, incompetent fools. I will make them look good!"
Ten minutes later, after Bryan had concluded his recounting of Draco's treatment at the hands of his Slytherin housemates during the period he was under the curse's influence, Draco fumed angrily, "Daphne, Theodore, Millicent— who gave them the courage to keep ostracizing me like that!"
Since Draco had returned to normal, Bryan had no intention of interfering in conflicts between students. He turned his gaze toward the extremely restrained Malfoy couple and smiled.
"Well, you two, regarding the underlying circumstances behind Draco's unfortunate attack, I trust Cornelius has already assigned relevant personnel to explain the situation to you, has he not?"
The British Ministry of Magic maintained an exceedingly tight-lipped stance regarding the recent events that had unfolded. Amelia Bones, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic himself, had jointly issued strict gag orders to every single Auror present that fateful night. As a consequence, the ordinary wizarding folk and news reporters remained ignorant of the real information.
However, it became evident that the renowned Malfoy family was acutely aware of the unfolding situation. It was shocking that Draco Malfoy, the sole heir to the Malfoy fortune and legacy, had been under the Imperius Curse cast by Peter Pettigrew for several months. Had it not been for the direct and timely intervention of Cornelius Fudge himself, the enraged Malfoys would have undoubtedly marched upon the grounds of Hogwarts.
In fact, Lucius and Narcissa had known for a long time that Sirius Black was not the one responsible for the death of Potters. And They were not alone in this knowledge, as a select group of individuals, all former Death Eaters who had once stood in the inner circle of the Dark Lord Voldemort himself, shared this closely guarded secret.
During the power struggle between Voldemort and Albus Dumbledore, these individuals had knowledge of the identity of their master's spy within Dumbledore's ranks. Thus, when Voldemort's reign of terror came to an abrupt and unexpected end, and Sirius Black was astonishingly accused of being the one responsible for the Potters' demise, they found the situation utterly ludicrous and beyond comprehension.
Yet, as Voldemort's downfall became a reality, these wizards and witches publicly denied any association with the fallen Dark Lord, proclaiming their innocence and disengagement from his nefarious activities. For the sake of their own safety and self-preservation, none of them dared to challenge Barty Crouch Sr.'s grave mistake in accusing the innocent Sirius Black as traitor.
Last July, after Sirius escaped from Azkaban, the Malfoy couple privately discussed that Sirius could not have been after Harry Potter. But they could not speculate the reason for his escape, as they were also unaware that their former 'friend' Peter Pettigrew, was still alive.
The world is an unpredictable and ever-changing tapestry of events, where even the most unfathomable occurrences can unfold. Who could have foreseen that the young Draco Malfoy would become entangled in the bitter enmity that had festered between Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew for so many years?
Silence often speaks volumes, conveying unspoken truths and underlying currents of emotion. Bryan pondered for a moment, gazing at Lucius's twitching eye, unconsciously exuding an aura of authority.
"Regardless, Draco is a young wizard attending Hogwarts. He fell under Peter's control, and the school bears an undeniable responsibility in this matter. As a gesture of apology and reparation, Hogwarts will cover all medical expenses incurred at St. Mungo's for Draco, as well as for his companions, Goyle and Crabbe, who currently reside in the opposite ward. I have already discussed this resolution with Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall before coming here. They will ensure that the Board of Governors approves this arrangement without delay."
The Malfoy couple exchanged a fleeting glance, their expressions showing no outward sign of opinion or reaction to Bryan's words.
Bryan did not expect his statement to elicit overwhelming joy or gratitude from the Malfoy couple. Of course not. Although employing the finest team of Healers at the St. Mungo's and securing a luxurious private ward would undoubtedly cost thousands of Galleons daily, such an extravagant sum was but a mere trifle to the immensely wealthy Malfoy family, hardly worth mentioning or acknowledging.
According to Lucius's personal desires, only the resignation of Dumbledore himself could quell his anger.
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